Turkey and Germany on Monday pledged to continue diplomatic efforts and jointly called for a cease-fire as soon as possible in Russia's aggression on Ukraine while emphasizing the importance of their bilateral ties and their NATO partnership.

The call came during German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s visit to Turkey for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. It marked his first official trip to the country since taking office in December.

"We will steadfastly continue the efforts for a permanent cease-fire. Turkey will do its best to bring together both parties," Erdoğan told a joint press conference following the talks in the capital Ankara. He said they agreed that diplomatic efforts must continue.

"As NATO allies, we have confirmed our common opinions and worries," he said. "We have agreed that diplomatic efforts for a resolution should be sped up while taking necessary measures for the security of Europe."

Erdoğan said they attach importance to working in close cooperation with Germany on regional matters.

"The recent developments in our region have proven that Turkey has a key role in many areas, security and energy in particular," he added.

For his part, Scholz said, "we are in complete agreement that the violent military conflict in Ukraine must be condemned and that there must be a cease-fire as soon as possible."

Safe corridors for civilians must be established immediately, he added.

Scholz stressed the need for a diplomatic solution to the conflict and called on Russia to immediately stop its attacks on the country.

"With each day, with each bomb, Russia is moving further away from the international community," he said.

Scholz also praised Turkey for closing the Bosporus — the strait controlled by Turkey that acts as a passage between the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea — to warships.

"Turkey closing Bosporus Strait to warships was an important step," he said. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine is beyond question, he added.

Erdoğan also highlighted his country’s relations with Moscow, which saw Turkey host a recent diplomatic conference last week that included a meeting between the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine in the southern province of Antalya.

But the highest-level contact between the two sides since Russia launched its aggression on Ukraine on Feb. 24 made no apparent progress toward a cease-fire.

Ankara said arranging the meeting between the two officials was in itself a diplomatic victory.

"We must protect our friendship with both Mr. Zelenskyy and Mr. Putin," he said.

NATO member Turkey, which shares a maritime border with Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea, has good relations with both countries.

It has called Russia’s invasion unacceptable and has ramped up efforts to undertake a facilitator role to find a solution to the conflict.

Ukraine on Sunday said it was working with Israel and Turkey as mediators to finalize a location and framework for peace negotiations with Russia.

Scholz said he welcomed talks between Ukraine and Russia and other diplomatic activity but stressed the meetings must soon yield results that allow a ceasefire.

"We have to make sure that results are achieved soon that will make a cease-fire possible," he noted.

Support for Ukraine

Turkey has close energy, defense and trade deals with Russia. Turkey has not closed its airspace to Russian planes, but Erdoğan said Turkey has done "whatever was necessary within United Nations rules."

He also underlined that it was too early to comment on Turkey’s possible purchase of more Russian weapons given Moscow’s invasion and Ankara would decide after seeing what conditions arise.

"Under the current circumstances, it would be premature to talk about what the future shows, right now. We have to see what the conditions bring," Erdoğan said.

He added that Turkey had been providing support for Ukraine in a manner NATO allies had not been able to despite its ties with Russia.

It sent more than 50 trucks of humanitarian aid and is continuing to send support to Kyiv, he noted.

Commenting on the visit, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said that it was Erdoğan's 14th face-to-face meeting with another world leader in the last five days.

"All efforts are for the establishment of peace, stability and justice in the world. Our socio-economic structure based on strong political leadership, trust and stability is our country's greatest opportunity," he said.

"It’s is important for us to stay in close coordination with Turkey, which is a NATO partner, and playing a great role," German Deputy Government Spokesperson Wolfgang Buchner also told a news conference in Berlin.

"We need to work together to reach a cease-fire in Ukraine as soon as possible and to defend Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added.

Diplomatic efforts

Erdoğan has said organizing the meeting between Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last Thursday "was in itself an important diplomatic achievement."

"We will persistently continue our efforts in order for a lasting cease-fire to be reached," Erdoğan has said.

U.S. President Joe Biden thanked Erdoğan in a phone call last week and European Union officials also praised the Turkish leader for bringing the warring sides together.

Germany and France have taken leading roles within the EU to end the war.

The Kremlin describes its actions in Ukraine as a "special operation" to demilitarize and "de-Nazify" Ukraine. Ukraine and Western allies call this a baseless pretext for a war of choice.

Turkey says it can facilitate peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, but a cease-fire and humanitarian corridors are needed first.

The Ukraine conflict has also brought Turkey closer with countries with which ties had been strained in recent years.

On Sunday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Erdoğan in Istanbul on his first trip to the country. Last week, Israeli President Isaac Herzog paid his first visit.

For Scholz, this marks his fifth trip outside the European Union since he succeeded Angela Merkel in December. Previously, he had been to the United States, Ukraine, Russia and Israel.

Economic ties

Erdoğan also touched upon economic relations between Turkey and Germany, major trade partners.

Bilateral trade in 2021 rose above $41 billion in 2021, up from $38 billion in 2020.

Erdogan said the sides hoped the turnover will reach $50 billion this year.

"As two G-20 countries, further advancing our economic partnership in the new global order will be to our mutual benefit. Germany is Turkey’s number one partner in exports and number two in imports," Erdoğan said.

He also highlighted the important role played by Germany in Turkey's tourism sector, a role shared with Russia.

The two countries also share deep cultural ties due to Germany’s nearly 5 million-strong Turkish diaspora. Turkey also hosts thousands of German expatriates.

Germany considers Turkey an important partner to handle the ongoing refugee and migrant crisis with people trying to reach Europe from Turkey. The German government is also aware that Turkey has an important geostrategic position as a NATO member.

In her 16 years in office, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel struck a delicate balance in the country's ties with Turkey and her last visit was in October before she left office.